A multiplex-PCR method to detect enterohemorrhagic (EHEC) and enteropathogenic (EPEC) Escherichia coli in artificially contaminated foods

In view of the considerable public health risk of the enteropathogenic (EPEC) and enterohemorrhagic (EHEC) Escherichia coli, a multiplex-PCR based method was used for the amplification of the sit genes and of the eaeA gene. Three pairs of primers, different from the oligonucleotides previously used by other authors, were exploited for the amplification. Different E. coli serotypes were tested with the optimized protocol. Fifty three artificially contaminated samples and sixty naturally contaminated samples were processed with the multiplex-PCR. All the artificially contaminated samples gave positive results independently of the number of cells inoculated. On the contrary, the naturally contaminated samples were ail negative. The results obtained from this experiment demonstrated that this protocol could be used for monitoring the spread of these organisms in food.